This invention claims priority of the German patent application 100 41 227.0 filed Aug. 22, 2000 which is incorporated by reference herein.
The invention concerns an apparatus for treating objects, in particular cytological or histological specimens, having multiple processing stations and preferably a transport device for delivering the objects into and out of the processing stations.
The reader is referred, purely by way of example, to EP 0 849 582 A2. This document discloses a generic apparatus for treating objects, in particular cytological or histological specimens. In this, cytological or histological specimens are conveyed by way of an object carrier or basket to an automatic stainer, the automatic stainer comprising multiple processing stations.
The generic apparatus known from EP 0 849 582 A2 comprises various processing stations that are to be understood, however, as conventional reagent baths. No provision is made therein for more extensive measures to promote the action of the reagents or indeed to promote a reactive process.
It is the object of the present invention to configure and further develop an apparatus for treating objects, in particular cytological or histological specimens, in such a way that staining operations, actions of reagents, or indeed reactive processes can be promoted.
The aforesaid object is achieved by an apparatus characterized in that at least one heatable reagent station is provided as a processing station.
What has been recognized according to the present invention is that the action of reagents, for example the staining of tissue samples but also reactive processes, can be promoted by the fact that the reagent station is of heatable configuration. It is not necessary in this context to heat all the processing stations or indeed equip them with individual heating devices. The provision of a single heatable reagent station or a definable number of heatable reagent stations is sufficient, so that a xe2x80x9cspecial treatmentxe2x80x9d can take place within that reagent station.
Advantageously, the reagent station could be provided as an additional processing station, in which case an arrangement, for example, in front of, alongside, or behind the actual processing station is then necessary or possible. A relevant clearance would need to be maintained.
It is also conceivable, however, to provide the reagent station as replacement for a conventional processing station, so that the heatable reagent station can easily be retrofitted. The electrical connection for the heating device could be introduced from outside the housing of the apparatus, so that no further installation effort is necessary. It is also conceivable to provide an electrical connection directly on the housing, a permanent electrical connection or wiring from the housing to the heatable reagent station then being necessary.
In particular to achieve sufficient flexibility for the apparatus, it is advantageous if in total two reagent stations, preferably arranged next to or behind one another, are provided. The provision of further heatable reagent stations is conceivable, in which context the actual number of reagent stations under discussion here should be adapted to the actual requirement.
Concretely, the reagent station could comprise a container that has dimensions similar to those of the containers of a conventional processing station. Simple replacement is thus possible, in which context heating and power supply must be ensured.
The container or the wall of the container could be produced from a thermally insulating material, specifically in order to prevent excessively rapid outward dissipation of heat. The heating device could be arranged inside the container (similarly to a heating element) or could be integrated into the wall or the floor of the container. The wall of the container could be produced from plastic or ceramic.
As an alternative to the embodiment recited above, the container could be produced from a thermally conductive material so that heat transfer inwardxe2x80x94toward the liquidxe2x80x94is promoted. In this respect the container could be produced from metal. To decrease thermal radiation outward, the wall of the container could be surrounded by a thermal insulator so that the container operates similarly to a THERMOS(copyright) vessel.
In particularly advantageous fashion, the container has a highly thermally conductive and preferably heat-storing base, said base possibly being embodied as the bottom of the metal block forming the container. The heat-storing property of the container would thereby be promoted.
It has already been mentioned earlier that an electrical heating device, for example a heating element, could be integrated inside the container. It is also conceivable, however, to integrate the heating device into the base embodied as a metal block, so that the heat is transferred from there, by direct heat exchange, to the liquid or to the reagents. A corresponding electrical connection would need to be provided on the container, a plug connection being very particularly suitable in this context.
In additionally advantageous fashion, the reagent station could have a preferably thermally insulating holder for reception of the container. A recess for emplacement or insertion of the container could be configured inside the holder. In additionally advantageous fashion, the holder could comprise an electrical heating device that, in the context of a preferred embodiment, can be embodied as an electrical heating plate integrated into the holder. The holder would correspondingly need to possess electrical connections that in turn can be implemented in the form of plug connections.
The holderxe2x80x94with or without heating devicexe2x80x94could be configured for simultaneous reception of two or more containers, the holder having for that purpose recesses in accordance with the number of vessels to be received. It is possible in this context for all the vessels emplaced into the holder to be heated simultaneously by a single heating device. To obtain the greatest possible flexibility for the apparatus claimed, the holder could comprise two or more heating devices operating independently of one another so that the individual vessels are heatable separately, in which context, if only one container is loaded, heating of only that container is also necessary and achievable. Energy consumption is thereby undoubtedly reduced.
In particular to prevent any overflow of the container into the housing and to prevent any undesired contamination with the reagents being used, the reagent station, in particular the holder serving to receive the container, is positioned in a pan, the pan possibly being inserted into the housing in place of the other processing stations (to replace one or two processing stations). In any event, the pan could comprise particular holding means for receiving and optionally securing the holder, in which in turn the container or containers are inserted. For connection of the electrical heating device, the pan could comprise electrical connections so that a direct electrical connection is possible without additional modification.
The pan could furthermore have an outflow, preferably in the form of an outflow fitting connectable to an outflow line, so that overflowed or dumped reagents can be discharged. A detector arranged in the pan could detect the fill level of the pan and trigger an alarm when a definable (critical) fill level in the pan is reached.
Lastly, be it noted that the heating device itself, or the heating plate, the holder, or even the pan, can be equipped with one or more temperature sensors so that closed-loop control is possible in consideration of adjustable temperature values. In this respect it is also possible to provide a temperature sensor inside the container so that closed-loop control of the liquid temperature present in the container can be performed. An integrated or separate control unit could be provided for closed-loop or open-loop control of the heating device. Retrofitting of the apparatus with a corresponding control unit is possible, external mounting being conceivable for simple retrofitting.